Budget smartphones: Moto G

While it can be easy to get caught up in the hype of a new iPhone launch, for many the option of a $1,000 + smartphone simply isn’t feasible. There are bills to pay, groceries to buy and, well, new clothes for your summer wardrobe. But not to worry, there are a number of affordable options on the market to choose from, smartphones design to give you bang for your buck – without taking too much of a bite from your wallet.

We’re always interested in budget-friendly smartphone options. We wrote earlier this year about the Xiaomi Mi4, an affordable alternative which can see users actually walk away with a pretty handy smartphone for under $200.

But what if you have a little more to spend? Say your budget is somewhere between the $200-$400?

There has been much hype surrounding the Motorola Moto G, an affordable smartphone version labeled by many to be the most 'budget-friendly' smartphone option on the market to date.

A reviewed conducted by the tech at Technradar takes an in-depth look at the make-up of the 2015 Motorola Moto G and compares it to some of the other affordable smartphone options in the market.

The Specs

• 5-inch 720p screen,
• 1.4Ghz Quad-core Processor
• Water-resistant design – IPX7-rated protection.
• 4G connectivity
• 16GB of storage
• All-day battery guarantee – 2470 mAh.
• 3-megapixel camera taken straight out of Google’s Nexus 6

The Good

Motorola proudly boasts the power of water resistance in the third generation Moto G. The IPX7-Rated water protection helps to keep the phone safe from splashes and drops of water experienced in day-to-day activities. Tests done on the smartphone have even demonstrated 30-second full water submersion capabilities, which when dried, can be used without any noticeable issues to speak of.

The battery life is also a positive. The Moto G is designed to last a full day, and then some with its 2470mh battery. Tested by the team at Techradar, the Moto G is expected to run for roughly 11 hours of constant use, a much greater effort than some *cough* iPhone! *cough* ranges on the market today.

In terms of speed and processing power, the Motorola Moto G is no slouch either. The 1.4Ghz Quad-core processor means that it’s smooth enough to use for most daily activities (emails, messages, internet browsing, social media), unlike other smartphone options that are considered to be slow and laggy when doing the same tasks.

Oh and did I mention its price tag? $369. That’s roughly $630 cheaper than a 16GB iPhone 6.

The Not So Good

There are a few nit-picky areas that need to be discussed. Understandably for a phone more than half the price of its top-end competitors, the Moto G doesn’t have the same processing power as the Apple, Google or Samsung ranges currently on the market. Some of the browsing features, video viewing and game play just doesn’t possess the same dynamic experience. The display can also be seen as an issue. Once again compared to the high-end smartphones the Moto G leaves a little to be desired in terms of colour vividness.

There are also questions surrounding the 13-megapixel camera, a standard amongst most 'budget-friendly' smartphones. Unless you are taking your photos in optimal lighting the quality can be well, a little underwhelming. And if using Android Pay is a necessity for you then you may be a little disappointed. The Motorola Moto G doesn’t possess NFC or IR transmitter technology.

As an overall package, the Motorola Moto G is certainly a step in the right direction for the budget-friendly smartphone market. For a full review of the 2015 Motorola Moto G, head over to Techradar for more.